Emotional & Social Development in Middle Childhood

Dennis KarpowitzChild Psychology

Erikson - Industry vs. Inferiority

Freud’s latency stage Competence or Inferiority

Self-Development

Changes in Self-Concept Cognitive, Social & Cultural Influences Development of Self-Esteem

Hierarchical structure Level Changes.

Influences on Self-Esteem High Self-Esteem linked to

Being better liked by peers Improved school achievement

Culture Social Comparison unhelpful

Child-Rearing Practices Authoritative best Coercive (authoritarian) worst Indulgent (permissive) – underachievers Neglectful – antisocial, fearful, predelinquent.

Achievement-Related Attributions

Luck Ability Effort Mastery-Oriented

Success = high ability Failure = insufficient effort

Learned Helplessness Ability fixed Give up when tasks are difficult.

Influences on Learned Helplessness

Unusually high parental standards (-) Girls blame failure on their inability (-) Low-income & minorities vulnerable (-) Mastery & cooperation

not ability & competition (+)

Support for + Self-Esteem

Overcome failure by more effort Master tasks rather than focus on grades Metacognition and self-regulation stressed Minimize comparisons among children.

Emotional Development

Self-Conscious Emotions Emotional Understanding Emotional Self-regulation

Understanding Others

Perspective taking Selman’s Stages of Perspective Taking

Limited ideas of others thoughts & feelings People interpret events differently Step into another’s shoes Examine two perspectives

simultaneously

Moral Development - Justice Distributive Justice

Fairness based on equality Fairness based on merit Benevolence for the disadvantaged

Link between moral rules & social conventions

Culture effects ability to separate moral rules from social conventions.

Peer Relations

Peers become more important Physical Aggression declines in middle childhood Insiders vs. Outsiders

Verbal insults among boys Ostracism among girls.

Peer Group Development

Shared values Leaders and followers Peer culture

Vocabulary similar Dress and music similar Place to “hang out”

Loyalty.

Friendships

Mutually agreed on relationships based on personal qualities

Trust critical Same age, sex, ethnicity & SES Stability over middle childhood.

Peer Acceptance – Sociometric Groupings

Popular Children Rejected Children Controversial Children Neglected Children 2/3 - one of the above 1/3 - Average, none of the above.

Determinants of Peer Acceptance

Accepted: Sensitive, friendly, cooperative Rejected Aggressive Children:

Conflict, hostility & ADHD

Rejected Withdrawn Children: Passive, awkward & submissive

Controversial Children: Hostile, disruptive, positive & pro-social

Neglected Children: Shy but not unskilled.

Bullying 10% are victims

Give up objects, show distress fail to retaliate

Extreme aggressiveness, arguing, picking fights

Changing victimization Change negative opinions of self Respond in non-reinforcing ways Learn self-defense skills.

Gender Typing Sex linked traits identified

Girls - reading, art, music Boys - math, athletics, mechanical skills General tolerance, but male violations more negative

Gender Identity

Boys strengthen masculine identity Girls weaken feminine identity

Girls add “other-gender” characteristics Do Girls sense more prestige in masculine role?

Cultures and Subcultures w/ large gender gaps: Girls are less likely to add “other-gender”

characteristics.

Family Influences

Parent-Child Relationships Time at home declines Reasoning becomes an effective parenting tool Coregulation:

• Parents provide general oversight

• Children make moment to moment decisions Children recognize they are not ready for

the independence of adolescence

Siblings

Provide emotional support for each other Same sex and close in age increases:

Parental comparisons Sibling rivalry

Firstborns receive greater parental pressure Laterborns tend to be more social & popular Only children: high self-esteem &

achievement motivation.

Divorce

US divorce rate highest in the world (38% first-time)

Average 5 years in a single parent home 3/4 of divorced parents marry a 2nd time 1/2 of 2nd marriages fail.

Divorce: Immediate Effects Painful for most Mother headed households, low income Only ¼ mothers get full child support Move to lower quality housing & schools Carnival father behavior is problematic Many children blame themselves for divorce High conflict divorce >> Maladjusted kids Boys act out, girls internalize.

Divorce: Long-Term Effects

Most children make an adequate adjustment 1/3 have significant long-term problems

Especially in high conflict divorces When children had problems before When parenting deteriorates

Declines in school achievement common Greater problems later in adolescence High conflict worse than divorce.

Divorce Helps

Divorce mediation Divorce counseling Counseling for adults Counseling for children – group Rx helpful Continued Involvement of both parents Greater financial resources More education.

Blended Families

Very common Additional stresses from

previous marriages It takes time It’s never the same.

Maternal EmploymentDual Employment

Effects 80% of U.S. Children Time and energy overload Type & nature of employment important Desire (to work or be at home) important Equality in marriage relationship important Redistribution of household tasks necessary Quality of child care important.

Child Abuse: Types

Physical Abuse Sexual Abuse Emotional Abuse Physical and Sexual Neglect

Patterns are important Environmental circumstances play a role.

Child Abuse: Signs

Child Abuse: Reporting

Who must report? Who should report? Increases in reporting does not increase

false positives Report SUSPECTED child abuse.

Child Abuse: Treatment

For the child For the abuser For the spouse For the family..